U.S., Ecuador in Friendly Match

Published 8:00 pm, Thursday, January 17, 2002

The U.S. soccer team will play an exhibition game against Ecuador on March 10 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.

The United States is expected to be missing many of its European-based players for the game, which is eight days after an exhibition game against Honduras at Seattle. Ecuador is 4-0-4 against the United States.

The Americans, preparing for the World Cup, open their 2002 schedule on Saturday against South Korea in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. That game will be at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

U.S. coach Bruce Arena cut his roster to 18 on Friday for the tournament. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller was the only European-based regular brought in for the tournament.